Syringe destructing device

ABSTRACT

A syringe destructing device includes breaking means in the form of a pair of counter-rotating toothed rolls which fracture an unbroken syringe passing therethrough into a plurality of discrete pieces. The teeth on the rolls are of a unique, sharpedged configuration and the rolls are disposed with respect to one another so that at the nip therebetween, a sharp edge on the tooth from one roll just contacts the sharp edge on the tooth on the opposite roll.

Aug. 7, 1973 United States Patent 1 Anderson 967,023 3/1950 France241/235 Inventor: Bryce P. Anderson, Berkeley, Calif. Control ProductsCorporation, Salt Lake City, Utah June 30, 1971 [73] Assignee:

Primary ExaminerRobert L. Spruill Aztorney-Roylance, Abrams, Berdo &Kaul [22] Filed:

[57] ABSTRACT A syringe destructing device includes breaking means Appl.No.: 158,469

in the form of a pair of counter-rotating toothed rolls which fracturean unbroken syringe passing therethrough into a plurality of discretepieces. The teeth on 50 fifi Q32 ll 4 O G 2mm 0 U 9 1 m l 4 4 2 2 9C"mum 1 n 4 m 2 u in "Mr 3 "M L .f C l 0 S m UMF H N 555 the rolls are ofaunique, sharp-edged configuration and the rolls are disposed withrespect to one another so that at the nip therebetween, a sharp edge onthe tooth from one roll just contacts the sharp edge on the tooth on theopposite roll.

[5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,558,255 6/l95l Johnson et24l/235 X 1,839,513 H1932 241/100 4 Claims, 3 Drawing lFlgures WeckbaughPATENIEDMIG Hm INVENTOR BRYCE P. ANDERSON ATTORNEYS.

SYRINGE DESTRUCTING DEVICE This invention relates to a syringedestructing device which finds particular utility in hospitals, clinicsand other locations where a large quantity of syringes are commonlyused.

As used herein, the term syringe can include the injection cartridgewithout a needle thereon or with a needle thereon.

Once a syringe has been used to inject medication into a patient in ahospital, clinic or physicians office, a problem arises as to how todispose of the used syringe. It has been found that drug addicts willoften at tempt to acquire such used syringes for the purpose ofsubsequent use for drug injections. However, since such used syringesare not properly sterilized and are not actually intended for reuse,there is the danger that any such addict who uses such a syringe couldcontract serum hepatitis. Also, aside from the problem of drug addicts,there is simply the question of where to place the used syringes and howto dispose of the same. If such used syringes are simply dropped in atrash basket or bag, there is a strong likelihood that maintenancepersonnel who collect and handle such trash might become inadvertentlyscratched by the needles and contract infection therefrom.

The problem of used syringes and the manner of disposing of the same hasbeen considered in the past and two separate procedures have beenproposed. However, it has been found that neither of such proposals hasbeen entirely satisfactory in practice. One such proposal involvesbreaking the tip off the needle and breaking the cartridge portion inhalf. The other proposal involves separating the needle from thecartridge portion and melting the cartridge portion in a furnace.Neither of these procedures has proved entirely satisfactory if for noother reason than both require the use of highly skilled and highly paidnurses to spend a considerable amount of time breaking needles. Also, indoing so, these nurses must be quite careful not to themselves becomescratched by the needles. Additionally, it is thought that even wherethe tip of the needle and a portion of the cartridge have been brokenaway, the remaining shank of the needle and the attached portion of thecartridge can still be reused by a desperate addict.

In view of the foregoing, it is accordingly, an object of the presentinvention to overcome the difficulties and deficiencies associated withprior art techniques for syringe destruction and to provide in theirstead, a new and improved syringe destructing device.

Another objectof the present invention is to provide a syringedestructing device wherein the operator will have minimal contact withthe syringe, yet wherein the syringe will be completely destroyed andincapable of being reused.

Another object of the presentinvention is to provide a simple yet highlyefficient apparatus which is capable of rapidly fracturing a syringecartridgeand needle into a plurality of separate and discrete partswhich are incapable of reuse.

Other objects, advantages and salient features of the present inventionwill become apparent from the following detailed description, which,taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, discloses a preferredembodiment thereof.

The foregoing objects are attained by providing a device with a uniqueform of breaking means therein. The breaking means consists of a pair ofcounter-rotating rolls, each of which carries a plurality of surfaceteeth having sharp outer edges. The rolls are disposed with respect toone another so that the sharp edge of a tooth on one roll just contactsthe sharp edge of a tooth on the opposite roll, at the nip formedbetween the rolls. This type of arrangement should be contrasted withvarious known forms of crushing devices utilizing counteracting gearsand the like therein. In such devices, the peak of one gear fits intothe valley on the opposed gear to provide a meshing relationship whichis intended to accomplish the crushing or breaking operation. Such anarrangement would not be operative to fracture the syringes for whichthe present invention is intended, since the plastic material of thecartridges would quickly clog the valleys or depressions in the gears,thus hampering operations. However, because of the unique toothconfiguration herein, when coupled with the careful alignment of theopposed breaking rolls, it is found that repeated and continued breakingoperations can occur without any clogging of the teeth for the valleystherebetween.

Referring now to the drawings, which form a part of this originaldisclosure:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a syringe destructing device inaccordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the device of FIG. 1, lookingin the direction of the line 2-2 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 3 is a transverse sectional view of the device, looking in thedirection of the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

Referring now to the drawings in further detail, the syringe destructingdevice as shown in FIG. I is generally designated 10. Such deviceincludes a generally rectangular casing having a pair of opposed sidewalls 12 and 14, a rear wall 16, a forward wall 18, a top wall 20 and abottom wall 22. Within the casing 10, there is provided a breaking meansgenerally designated 24 for fracturing a syringe into a plurality ofdiscrete pieces to prevent reuse thereof. Means generally designated 26are provided for supplying an unbroken syringe S to the breaking means24. As shown in FIG. 2, the syringe S includes a plunger andcartrigeportion 28 and an attached needle portion 30.. Finally, the device 10includes a receiving means generally designated 32 for receiving thediscrete and broken pieces from the breaking means 24.

Considering first the means 26 for supplying the syringe S to thebreaking means, an opening 34 is formed in top wall 20 of the casing,above the breaking means 24, and a sleeve is disposed within the opening34. The sleeve includes a hollow square or rectangular upper portion 36and a depending tapered frusto-conical guide portion 38. The :top of theupper sleeve portion 36 is closed, but a feeding port 40 is formed inone side thereof. The entire sleeve can be: manually inserted throughthe opening 34 so that the upper portion 36 rests upon the top casingwall 20 while the depending portion 38 projects through the opening 34and into the interior of the casing to guide a syringe S into thebreaking means 24. Because the top of the sleeve 36 is closed and thefeeding port 40 is formed in the side thereof, the chance that anyupwardly flying scraps from the breaking means could escape from thesleeve is reduced materially.

The receiving means 32 includes an open-topped drawer 42, the bottom ofwhich rests upon the bottom wall 22 of the casing and the forward wall44 of which fits within a congruent opening in the front casing wall 18.A handle 46 is attached to the front wall 44 of the drawer 42 to enablethe drawer to be manually removed and emptied at periodic intervals.Side guide rails 48 coact in cooperation with the drawer 42 to guide itinto and out of the casing and to facilitate its sliding movementtherein.

The breaking means 24 includes a pair of counterrotating generallycylindrical rolls 50, each of which is fixed upon a transverselyextending shaft 52, the ends of which are journaled in bearings 54attached to the interior of the casing side walls 12 and 14. Each shaft52 carries a drive gear 56 and a collar 58 to lock the same onto theshaft 52. An idler gear 60 mounted in similar manner, cooperates withthe inner most of the gears 56 and serves to mesh the same with a drivegear 62 which is mounted by a locking collar 64 onto a drive shaft 66 ofa suitable drive motor 68. The drive motor 68 is supported upon abracket or a platform 70 attached to the rear wall 16 of the casing.Thus, when the drive motor 68 is energized, by any suitable actuatingmeans, the rolls 50 are caused to rotate in opposite directions as shownby the arrows thereon in FIG. 2, to create a downward feeding motion.Each of the rolls 50 carries a plurality of tooth means about theexterior surface thereof. Such tooth means, in each instance, includes afirst portion 72 which extends radially of the roll 50 and a secondportion 74 extending angularly in the direction of roll rotation fromthe inner end of a first portion 72 to the outer end of the nextadjacent first portion 72. Thus, at the outer end where a portion 72merges with a portion 74, a sharp edge 76 is created and this sharp edgeis axially elongated along the axis of rotation passing through eachshaft 52. In other words, the sharp edges 76 actually form elongatedblades which perform the breaking operation.

As shown in FIG. 2, the shafts 52 and hence the axes of rotation arealigned parallel with one another, with both axes of rotation lying in acommon plane. The shafts 52 and hence the axes of rotation are spacedapart by a distance sufficient so that a sharp edge 76 on one roll justcontacts against a sharp edge 76 on the opposite roll to thus form thenip between the two rolls. It will also be seen that at the nip, thereare two first tooth portions designated 72' which are coplanar with oneanother and which lie in the same plane as the plane containing the axesof rotation for the two rolls.

A sufficient number. of teeth are provided along the exterior surface ofeach of the rolls 50 so that as the syringe S passes therebetween, itprogressively moves through the nip and is progressively contacted byseveral separatesets of sharp edges 76 on the teeth. This causes thesyringe S to be broken into a plurality ofdiscrete pieces P which fallinto the drawer 42 which acts as the receiving means. It is important inthe present invention that there be an adequate number of teeth aboutthe exterior surface of each roll 50 to assure that the syringe will bebroken at multiple locations and into multiple pieces. It is alsoimportant to note that the sole contact between either of the rolls orthe teeth thereon occurs as a line to line contact between the sharpedges 76 just at the plane passing through the nip. Thus, not

only does the syringe gravitationally drop into the breaking means, butadditionally, the forward rotating motion of the rolls and the teeththereon'actually feed the syringe through the nip as the breakingoccurs.

It is preferred that the number of teeth formed about the periphery orexterior surface of each roll be between 10 and 30. In one satisfactoryembodiment of the invention, 20 separate teeth were formed along theexterior of each roll. The width of each roll was 2 1% inches and theoutside tooth diameter, measured from one sharp edge 76 to itsdiametrically opposite edge 76, was also Z-k inches. The diameter of theroll was 1 inches, thus making each tooth inch in height, as measuredalong the first portion 72 thereof.

After reading the foregoing detailed description, it should be apparentthat the objects set forth at the outset thereof have been successfullyachieved. However, while the invention has been described and ishereinafter claimed in connection with syringes per se, it will beapparent to those skilled in the art that the apparatus disclosed hereincan also be used for the destruction of other materials, such as plastictubing, test tubes, vacu-tainer needles, and the like. Use of theapparatus for such purposes is regardedand falling within the spirit andscope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A syringe destructing device comprising:

breaking means for fracturing a syringe into a plurality of discretepieces to prevent re-use thereof; means for supplying an unbrokensyringe to said breaking means; and

receiving means for receiving said discrete pieces from said breakingmeans;

said breaking means including a pair of counterrotating rolls, each ofwhich carries tooth means about the exterior surface thereof, said rollsbeing driven at equal speeds and in opposite rotational directions;

each of said tooth means including a first portion extending radially ofsaid roll and a second portion extending angularly in the direction ofroll rotation from the inner end of a first portion to the outer end ofthe next adjacent first portion;

the juncture of a second portion with the outer end of a first portionforming a sharp edge; said rolls being cylindrical in configuration andmounted for rotation about spaced parallel fixed axes and said axesbeing spaced apart by a distance sufficient so that a sharp edge on oneroll contacts a sharp edge on the opposite roll to form a nip in a planepassing through both axes;

said rolls containing a sufiicient number of teeth so that a syringepasses through said breaking means and passes progressively through saidnip, it will be broken into a plurality of discrete pieces.

2. A syringe destructing device as defined in claim 1 wherein the firstportions on the teeth forming said nip are disposed within said plane.

3. A syringe destructing device as defined in claim 1 wherein saiddevice further includes a casing and wherein said receiving means is anopen-topped receptacle movably mounted beneath said breaking means.

4. A syringe destructing device as defined in claim 3 wherein said meansfor supplying the syringe includes an opening in said casing above saidbreaking means and a sleeve mounted in said opening, said sleeve havinga closed top and a feeding port in the side thereof. t I! k i t

1. A syringe destructing device comprising: breaking means forfracturing a syringe into a plurality of discrete pieces to preventre-use thereof; means for supplying an unbroken syringe to said breakingmeans; and receiving means for receiving said discrete pieces from saidbreaking means; said breaking means including a pair of counter-rotating rolls, each of which carries tooth means about the exteriorsurface thereof, said rolls being driven at equal speeds and in oppositerotational directions; each of said tooth means including a firstportion extending radially of said roll and a second portion extendingangularly in the direction of roll rotation from the inner end of afirst portion to the outer end of the next adjacent first portion; thejuncture of a second portion with the outer end of a first portionforming a sharp edge; said rolls being cylindrical in configuration andmounted for rotation about spaced parallel fixed axes and said axesbeing spaced apart by a distance sufficient so that a sharp edge on oneroll contacts a sharp edge on the opposite roll to form a nip in a planepassing through both axes; said rolls containing a sufficient number ofteeth so that a syringe passes through said breaking means and passesprogressively through said nip, it will be broken into a plurality ofdiscrete pieces.
 2. A syringe destructing device as defined in claim 1wherein the first portions on the teeth forming said nip are disposedwithin said plane.
 3. A syringe destructing device as defined in claim 1wherein said device further includes a casing and wherein said receivingmeans is an open-topped receptacle movably mounted beneath said breakingmeans.
 4. A syringe destructing device as defined in claim 3 whereinsaid means for supplying the syringe includes an opening in said casingabove said breaking means and a sleeve mounted in said opening, saidsleeve having a closed top and a feeding port in the side thereof.